If you go to Biei, stop by Higashikawa! Hidden recommended spot 10 minutes from Asahikawa Airport
10 minutes by car from Asahikawa Airport To Biei, about 20 minutes by car. Lately, my favorite place We will take a walk in Higashikawa Town. It takes only 25 minutes by car from the center of Asahikawa. Have you ever heard of Higashikawa Town? The town has been ranked No. 1 for three consecutive years in the “Ii-Room Net Town Ranking (National version)”. Some of you must know this town as the home of the “Michizakura” sake brewery. I also like Higashikawa, and often go shopping at the Michi-no-Eki Higashikawa “Michikusa-kan” (Roadside Station) Next to the roadside station is a craft chocolate store called liko to go. I actually entered the store for the first time on this day, not knowing what kind of store it was. It’s a chocolate store, but hamburgers and soft-serve ice cream are also popular. There were quite a few people there, so I couldn’t take many pictures inside. I love the warmth of the wood and the gentle handmade atmosphere. Here it comes! Chocolate dipped soft serve ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ It’s not a well-known tourist town, but people keep coming into the stores. The soft serve ice cream is visually stunning. Higashikawa has many warm cafes and craft stores. I like the fact that I can relax and not be swamped by tourists. The old building has been renovated well, with the atmosphere of the old building. I don’t know much about Higashikawa yet, but I’m still exploring the town. Grand opening on August 21, 2023, at the Higashikawa-cho recreation facility “Kitoushi no Mori Kitoron”. It’s close to a roadside station, so it’s a perfect stopover. The building was designed to blend in with the mountain scenery, and was built with the supervision of architect Kengo Kuma. This is a pleasure to go inside! We were allowed to take pictures as long as no one was in the picture. There’s a restaurant on the first floor with a great view. The dishes are prepared using Higashikawa’s groundwater, local rice and vegetables, and can be combined with your favorite deli items. It was just after lunch time. I missed lunch, so I’ll definitely try it next time. The furniture used in the restaurant was made by a furniture business in Higashikawa. Asahikawa Furniture is famous, but Higashikawa also has many craft stores and furniture stores. Wooden goods and other items are also sold at this “Kitoron”! Most of the stuff in the store has a natural look and feel to it. Original products made by Higashikawa businesses are on display. You can buy specialty rice and water here. Higashikawa is the only “100% natural water town” in Hokkaido without a water supply system. That’s probably one of the reasons why it’s such a nice place to live. Next to the stairs to the large baths are benches. Could be used as a meeting place after a bath. Upstairs, to the right, you can see the entrance to the large bathroom. I didn’t have time that day, so I decided to take a bath next time. Visit a gallery that introduces local and international art and culture. The content of the event changes with the seasons. On this day, folk art from Uzbekistan was on display. Higashikawa Town has held the “Higashikawa International Photography Festival” every year since the “Town of Photography” declaration was promulgated in 1985. The exchange started when a photo exhibition of Uzbekistan was held in Higashikawa Town through the introduction of the Japan Camera Foundation. I went up to the rooftop where there is an observation deck. There is a fee to take a bath at this “Kitoron,” but admission is free. You can enjoy the view from the rooftop observatory for free. Look at this open view! It was cloudy, which was a bit disappointing, but it was a tranquil scene typical of Hokkaido. The rooftop may be closed during the winter. The stars seem to be beautiful at night. There is a gentle slope from the elevator to the observation deck. Barrier-free accessibility Wood is used for signage, pictograms in restrooms, and so on. I can feel the warmth of the people of Higashikawa. If the disinfectant is designed like this, I’d love to have it in my foyer. Free Wi-Fi is available inside the building, so you’ll never be bored in the waiting area. Let’s get out of the building and take a look at the Kitoushi forest. There are campgrounds and cabins on the property. Barbecue and park golf in the summer and skiing in the winter. The go-cart track is said to be the longest in Kamikawa. The Kitoushi Forest is about 25 times the size of the Tokyo Dome. It is a natural park that includes the 457-meter-high Mount Kitoushi. We only explored a small part of it that day. Kitoushi, where there are traces of a former seabed and lava erupted from Mount Daisetsuzan. Kitoushi, where there are traces of a former seabed and lava erupted from Mount Daisetsuzan. It’s nice to just relax and enjoy the view of the small farm. The hiking trail to the observatory is said to take about 30 minutes each way, so I will definitely try to go there someday. In the Kitoushi forest, we often encounter wild animals and birds. Hundreds of species of plants grow here, including the katakuris. Ponies are very cute, though. Hokkaido is so big that it’s tempting to go all over the place, but… Staying in one town may be a good way to spend time and enjoy Hokkaido’s unique atmosphere. A one-way flight from Tokyo to Asahikawa costs only about 7,000 yen. It’s nice to be able to enjoy the feeling of Hokkaido within a 10-minute drive from Asahikawa Airport. I’m not a spokesperson for the Higashikawa River, although I’m praising it a lot. I mentioned that this “kitoron” was supervised by architect Kengo Kuma. There is a satellite office called “KAGU no Ie” in Higashikawa-cho, which was designed by Kengo Kuma. Kengo Kuma & Associates has an office there. In recent years, when people are promoting a two-location lifestyle, Higashikawa is becoming very popular as a candidate location for a second home. In fact, more than half of the Higashikawa’s 8,000 residents are immigrants. I would love to have a second house in Higashikawa someday… Now, here’s a small piece of information. On the first floor of the Hotel Wing International in front of Asahikawa Station is Higashikawa’s “Yoshinori Coffee”! On the first floor of the Hotel Wing International in front of Asahikawa Station is Higashikawa’s “Yoshinori Coffee”! Coffee, of course, and morning sets are inexpensive and delicious! If you can’t make it to Higashikawa, you can also buy Higashikawa food and goods here. If you can’t make it to Higashikawa, you can also buy Higashikawa food and goods here. There is also a “Higashikawa Meats” corner in the souvenir shop “Airport Rilla” in Asahikawa Airport, so be sure to check it out ♫ There is also a “Higashikawa Meats” corner in the souvenir shop “Airport Rilla” in Asahikawa Airport, so be sure to check it out ♫ Thank you for watching!
#higashikawa
#stopover
#hiddenspots
#michizakura
#hokkaido
*Turn on the subtitles to read the description of the video.
▼ Higashikawa Town Official Website
https://higashikawa-town.jp/
▼Higashikawa Roadside Station “Dosokan
▼liko to go Google map
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Gakc8E3QxRsN5uz48
▼Kitoushi Forest Kitoron
https://www.higashikawa-kitoron.jp/
Kitoushi forest
https://www.kazokuryokoumura.jp/
▼ Sanzen Sakura Sake Brewery
https://michizakura.jp/
Higashikawa, the town in the photo, has been on my mind for several years.
It is a wonderful town that I really want to keep secret.
The public-private brewery of sake “Sanzen Sakura” has been established, and the town has been ranked as one of the best places to live in Japan by the “Ii Room Net”.
It has been ranked No. 1 for three consecutive years in the “Ii Room Net Town Ranking (Nationwide Edition),” and has been the first place in the “Ii Room Net Town Ranking (Nationwide Edition)”.
A special Higashikawa Town corner was set up in the souvenir shop at Asahikawa Airport.
We can no longer keep it a secret, so we decided to make a video of it.
We have made a video of Higashikawa Town.
What I have introduced here is only a small part of Higashikawa’s charms.
I will have to go back and take more photos.